A young psoriasis sufferer has become an internet sensation with advice on beauty and products aimed at fellow patients.

Bryony Bateman, 21, came close to death from the life-long skin condition and decided to use her own experience to help others.

Bryony, who was diagnosed three years ago, was shocked to find there was little information about psoriasis for suffers, especially people like her, when it affects two per cent of the UK population.

She said: “I decided to start my blog dedicated to psoriasis when I had an anonymous message from a girl saying she wanted to drop out of school, quit her job and kill herself because she has psoriasis on her face and she didn’t know how to cover it up.”

Bryony, from St Neots, said: “She was asking how I cover mine up, so I grabbed my phone and filmed myself doing my make-up and put it on YouTube.

“She replied thanking me and said it gave her hope to carry on.”

Bryony, who works as a beauty therapist, said: “I want people to take away that, yes, psoriasis isn’t great and it’s a life-long auto-immune illness, but because it is life-long, you need to find your own way of coming to terms with your illness.”

SKIN: Bryony Bateman wants to help other psoriasis sufferers

She began suffering the symptoms of psoriasis at 17 after developing a rash which was first thought to be a reaction to washing powder.

The rash spread and developed into agonising itchy, dry and cracking skin which flared up regularly.

At one stage 98 per cent of her skin was covered in psoriasis.

“It was like I was burning from the inside,” said Bryony. “My body was in a state of shock because my skin was so dry that my body had no hydration at all.

“I was literally shedding sheets of skin. It was agony.”

ADVICE: Bryony Bateman found sun beds and sea salt baths help her condition

Bryony said: “It was life-threatening and without the emergency treatment they gave me it could have been a different story.”

“It was a horrible experience but it made me more determined to make other people aware of psoriasis and how dangerous it can be.”

She said: “I was astonished to find there was nothing out there to help people like me.

“All I was finding was shocking pictures of women in their 50s which, without being funny, didn’t relate to me who was only just starting out with the condition.

“I wanted to get this out there to help other young suffers like me to prove that life goes on. It’s given me the confidence to carry on and helps me cope and come to terms with it.”

Bryony’s posts are at @bryneenee on Instagram or at Bryneenee on YouTube and Twitter.